The present embodiments relate generally to articles of footwear that may be used for contact sports such as wrestling.
Articles of footwear can generally be described as having two primary elements, an upper for enclosing the wearer's foot, and a sole structure attached to the upper. The upper generally extends over the toe and instep areas of the foot, along the medial and lateral sides of the foot and around the back of the heel. The sole structure may include an insole, a midsole, and an outsole. The insole is in close contact with the wearer's foot or sock, and provides a comfortable feel to the sole of the wearer's foot. The midsole generally attenuates impact or other stresses due to ground forces as the wearer is walking, running, jumping, or engaging in other activities. The outsole generally carries a tread pattern to ensure a firm contact with the ground or playing surface. For some activities, the outsole may also use cleats, spikes or other protrusions to engage the ground or playing surface and thus provide additional traction.